The invasion of Iwo Jima continued to March 26, 1945. The battle was a major initiative of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. The Marine invasion, known as Operation Detachment, was charged with the mission of capturing the airfields on the island which up until that time had interfered with U.S. bombing missions to Tokyo. Once the bases were secured, they could then be of use in the impending invasion of the Japanese mainland.

U.S. Marines on the beach of Iwo Jima

Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima taken on February 23, 1945, by Joe Rosenthal